


You Must Be Who You Are

by pangodillO



Category: Sparks Nevada Marshal on Mars, The Thrilling Adventure Hour
Genre: Domesticity, Fluff, Freedom, Home, Identity, Multi, Wanderlust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-07
Updated: 2014-11-07
Packaged: 2018-02-24 11:20:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2579672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pangodillO/pseuds/pangodillO
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her name is not on the lease, Croach assures her; the house is legally under ownership only by himself and Sparks.  Sparks scowls and hastens to add, “But we could put your name on easy, if’n you wanted.”</p><p>"I don’t want," she says, firmly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Must Be Who You Are

**Author's Note:**

> One Night Vale fan's evolution:  
> \- "Well, I'll listen to the crossover, but only because Night Vale."  
> \- "Well, I'll listen to the Sparks Nevada segments, I guess, but I won't write fic or meta or anything."  
> \- "I mean, one little manifesto on shipping this new OT3 can't hurt, right...? But I'm still not gonna fic in this fandom."
> 
> Well. I ficced in this fandom. And it got super popular [on tumblr](http://pangodillo.tumblr.com/post/101127954380)? I mean, 110 notes isn't huge in the grand scheme of things, but this is a tiny fandom and it's not as though I'm particularly well-known--and 110 is still a _lot_ for me. Given the relative size of the fandom, I think this is probably the most popular thing I've ever written? So I decided it deserves a place here.

The Red Plains Rider has a human name, but she doesn't use it.  She doesn't use the designation given to her by the tribe what took her in and raised her, either.

She's Red now, that's all.  These plains are her home; for almost as long as she can remember, she's needed no other home and no other name.  She carries almost nothing with her; only what'll fit in a pair of saddlebags.  At night, she sleeps on the ground under the G'loot Praktaw stars.

(She calls it Mars when she's among other humans, but it's her opinion (strongly held) that the native residents of G'loot Praktaw should be the ones to choose its designation.  It's their planet, after all; humans are just guests.)

* * *

Her name is not on the lease, Croach assures her; the house is legally under ownership only by himself and Sparks.  Sparks scowls and hastens to add, "But we could put your name on easy, if'n you wanted."

"I don't want," she says, firmly, because she doesn't want to have that argument.  Croach understands, and Sparks doesn't; he still periodically offers her the deputy position.

"Well, fine," Sparks says, as though he doesn't care.  "Come inside, anyway.  But take your boots off, the carpet is new."

"Do not remove your boots, The Red Plains Rider," Croach interjects.  "The carpets can be cleaned."

Red rolls her eyes.  "I'm wearin' socks, Croach.  Anyway, ain't we in the kind of relationship where we might look at each other's feet?"

"Not _casually_ ," Croach objects.  "However, the garment designated _socks_ shall constitute adequate footwear; you may remove your boots."

Red removes her boots.  She lets Sparks show her around the place in her stocking feet, and tries not to let on how uncomfortable it makes her.  It's a nice little place; it'll suit Sparks and Croach down to the ground.  They'll be happy here together.

Without her.  She can't live like this, with a permanent address and a roof over her head.  She's lived too long with the sky as her roof to fit her spirit inside four walls.  This cannot be home, for her.

"Take a shower," Sparks says.  "And then come to bed.  The sheets are clean."

Red rolls her eyes, but she goes to take a shower anyway.  She doesn't bother dressing before climbing into bed; Sparks and Croach had a similar idea, and they seem to have started without her.

But they shift apart and make room for her, and each of them touches her with understanding and love.  She kisses them, one at a time, slowly, and then she does other things with them, together.

She falls asleep between them, one bare foot resting against Croach's, the other leg hooked over Sparks' thighs.

* * *

In the morning, she slips out of bed without waking either of them.  They shift toward each other in their sleep.

They'll be fine.

She gets her things together, pulls her clothes back on.  She's at the front door, pulling her boots on, when Croach's voice emanates from the hallway.

"The Red Plains Rider," he says, solemn but not condemning.  "You are leaving."

"I am, Croach," she admits.  "I can't stay here.  You understand, right?"

"I understand."  He moves closer, towering over her.  He's always been taller.  "I do not understand why you would leave while we are still asleep."

"I just didn't want to make a scene.  Nevada won't understand, and I don't want to argue with him about this.  I can't change who I am, and who I am is the Red Plains Rider."  She summons a smile for Croach.  "The two've you'll do all right, I reckon."

"We do not wish to exclude you," Croach says.  He takes a key from the rack by the door.  "You must go, The Red Plains Rider.  You must be who you are.  We could not love you otherwise."  He presses the key into her palm and says, "But come back.  Because we love you."

Red's fingers close automatically around the key.  She ain't one for dramatic displays of affection, but she throws her arms around Croach's shoulders anyway.

"I love you too," she whispers, voice rougher than she'd like.  "And you—you'll explain to Nevada?  You'll tell him I love him, and I'm comin' back?"

"I will tell him."  Croach's arms fold around her and squeeze, once, lightly.  "He already knows."

"Well, tell him anyway."  Red slides away, and leans up on tiptoe for a kiss.  "I'll be seein' you, Croach."

"I will be seeing you, The Red Plains Rider," Croach echoes, and lets her go.

She has her star-filled roof back, the horizon her only walls.  She has her freedom.

And now, she has a second home.


End file.
